A Midyear Road Map for U.S. Trade Policy and Enforcement

Companies waiting for the U.S. tariff landscape to settle are misreading the moment. The better move is to engage now, while comment windows and negotiations remain open. In this episode of "Global Markets Policy & Power," International Trade attorney Molly O'Casey hosts trade policy and litigation attorneys Ashley Akers and Patrick Childress and Senior Policy Advisors Peter Tabor and Liz Cordova as they make their way through a midyear roadmap covering the post-International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff regimes, pending Section 301 and 232 investigations, and the status of United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), China, India and European Union (EU) trade negotiations. With Section 122 tariffs set to expire July 24, 2026, and Section 301 emerging as the administration's tariff tool of choice, the panel explains the differences between these two measures and flags opportunities for stakeholders to weigh in before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) concludes its investigations. They then present observations on USMCA review, noting that the U.S. and Mexico are largely renegotiating core trade provisions bilaterally — while Canada sits outside the room. On the compliance front, Ms. Akers warns that U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Justice are now in full enforcement mode, pressing importers on classification, valuation and country of origin and expecting proactive diligence well before goods are ever detained. The lightning round-style conversations offers a look into where trade policy stands now and where companies should focus advocacy and compliance efforts.